Ewan Colquhoun Ridge Partners

Fisheries & Aquaculture R,D & E challenge

Can yesterday’s industry view inform us about today’s R,D&E investment, in order to boost tomorrow’s fishery outcomes?

Demographic and social change in the community – all fishery sectors. What Australians expect for granting access to resources. Climate change and related impacts (e.g. spiny urchin invasion) Seafood consumer’s – demography, income, health, lifestyles Increased disposable income - leisure time, recreational connect Indigenous Customs generational transfer / cultural maintenance Technology creation and change – uptake driven by profit motive A$ - import and export competitiveness Competitor’s actions in supplying low cost seafood to markets Regulatory cycles - Commonwealth, states, global etc These dynamics mean there are a range of plausible futures for Australian fisheries.

Understanding context and trends are critical to risk management and converting assumptions into outcomes. In turn, R,D&E choices are better informed to ensure best fishery outcomes more likely.

Wild Capture Aquaculture

In order to create the future, we need to assess fisheries use and performance over time : Past Current Future (what is possible best use and performance) What is the gap – social and economic

(FRDC Project in – Noted already by Prof. George Kailis, Chair of the Working Group) Delphi process- 70 Experts comprehensively consulted 4 times over 6 months in Expert Panel included all fishing sectors (commercial, recreational, customary), seafood, and experts from technology, resource, environment and social Fishery Managers, fishers and organisations, and stakeholders, Australian and global Informed by literature review of global issues and trends

Estimates by Expert panel tonnes ‘000 NET Economic Contribution $ Million Expert Rating ?/10 Est. Economic GAP $ Million FISHERY USE Commercial212, Recreational31, Customary Unreported, IUU2, Total246, Economic GAP(estimate)$416 mill.

(13 Criteria) (10 Criteria) (7 Criteria) (8 Criteria) (6 Criteria) (Neutral Weighting for Criteria)

Management  Streamline/ restructure management organisations for good governance  Establish set of core national framework and data sets to monitor performance  Clear and explicit shares and rights for all fisheries participants.  Create incentives to balance social outcomes with economic outcomes Environment  Environmental management will become more complex. Build better datasets.  Environmental sustainability is the basis for best use and performance.  Compliance trends evident will continue  Implement joint user planning built around collaboration Economy  Better economic data and tools that can reduce foregone performance,  Establish /track more accurate economic data for gaps across all sectors /chains  Improving human skills in the use and management of fisheries Recreational  Recreational fishing (all subgroups) to be a full partner in the journey to best use.  Better management/ governance of recreational sector helps everybody  Proactive strategies to inform/educate/engage recreational fishers Community  Closer engagement of fishers with the community (and their politicians).  Educate the broad community re the value/ nature of wild capture fisheries.  Track community views re awareness of fishing industry, expectations, etc  Provide clear information re industry’s performance and progress to best use  More accurately and fully assess/ understand customary fishing  Better engagement with and information to politicians

FRDC Community Perceptions of Fishing Survey 2009

Most functions delegated No functions delegated Preconditions non-existent Preconditions existent Centralised model Consultative model Collaborative model Delegated model International fisheries are diverse, but many have made limited progress. The best aquaculture (e.g. prawn farmers) and wild fisheries (e.g. Southern Rocklobster) have evolved across multiple jurisdictions The bulk of commercial wild catch and aquaculture fisheries are trying to evolve beyond a consultative model The best recreational fisheries (e.g. NT Barramundi) are here Most functions delegated Many recreational and customary fisheries are developing the strong organisational structures to lead their transition. Lack of legislation constrains customary fishing - change now evident Lack of legislative uniformity constrains aquaculture development.

Dollars?? But is it time to refocus investment to productivity?

Bigpicture Tradeoffs are at the heart of fishery progression towards best use. Marine resource are exhaustible - Users do not get all that they want. R,D&E must show the way to these choices. Structural barriers undercut our move to best performance. Fishery bodies (users and managers) and practices are not evolving fast enough to enable progress to best use and greater competitiveness – uneven legislation, lack of transparency to users and communities; lack of data; systems not harmonised. Collaboration and data are critical keys. Incentives are required to motivate current use, to better use, and then towards best performance in a timely manner. Both Carrot and Stick! The $1 million per day is an opportunity cost that does not have to be paid if we re more efficient. R,D&E should create incentives before enterprises fail. Is best use always best? 10 out of 10 is not always best or equally relevant key is for fishery managers and users to fearlessly evaluate and impartially recognise where they are on their specific fishery journey to best use, set their performance goals that address their community expectations, and to actively manage progress towards these outcomes Keep Going. National assessment of best use and performance offers a ready tool to enable cost effective monitoring and reporting of wild fisheries use and performance to stakeholders. An amended template may suit aquaculture.

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